Identifying Priority Research Questions for Decentralized Wastewater

Decentralized wastewater treatment and reuse represent critical infrastructure across the rural-periurban-urban continuum around the world. Effective, efficient, resilient, and equitable implementation of on-premise technologies and management systems is part of a One Water approach and necessary to protect public health and the environment, yet inconsistent delivery of essential public health services persists in many regions, including across states, tribes, and territories of the United States. We initiated a groundbreaking effort to understand challenges and to identify research opportunities related to the science and practice of decentralized wastewater. A horizon scanning exercise using a bottom up and transparent key questions approach was performed in which research needs were submitted by over 450 professionals working in academia, government, industry, and nonprofit organizations. We then further considered these research needs through facilitated focus group discussions and identified priority research questions through a consensus process during an in-person synthesis workshop. These key questions included technical and management topics, which were partitioned among six research categories: treatment, performance, and resource recovery; resiliency, efficacy, and sustainability; environmental quality and public health; assessment, monitoring, and operation and maintenance; implementation; and regulations, enforcement, and environmental justice. We offer recommendations to answer the priority research questions presented here; doing so promises to advance the science and improve the practice across rural-periurban-urban gradients.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Environmental Science & Technology
Published
2025-12-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c02138
Primary Topic
Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Identifying Priority Research Questions for Decentralized Wastewater

Roxanne T. Groover, Rojelio Mejía, Brian Scheffe, Christopher J. Walker et al.
Environmental Science & Technology
Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
article

Identifying Priority Research Questions for Decentralized Wastewater

Roxanne T. Groover, Rojelio Mejía, Brian Scheffe, Christopher J. Walker, Bryan W. Brooks, Mary G. Lusk, Thomas W. Groves, Timothy J. Callahan, Robert A. Himschoot, Harry X. Zhang, Sara Heger, Kelly D. Alley, David Allen Meints, Jeff Moeller, Alissa H. Cox, Amal Bakchan, June Wolfe, Victor D’Amato, Jacob K. Stanley, Benjamin J. Ryan, Mark Elliott, Donna Cosper, Kris Neset, Jim Bell, Allison Blodig, Greg Graves, Tom Schimelfenig, Anish Jantrania, Jamie Holodak, Jillian Maxcy-Brown, Kevin M. Stroski, Matt Pace, Eric Casey
article en

Abstract

Decentralized wastewater treatment and reuse represent critical infrastructure across the rural-periurban-urban continuum around the world. Effective, efficient, resilient, and equitable implementation of on-premise technologies and management systems is part of a One Water approach and necessary to protect public health and the environment, yet inconsistent delivery of essential public health services persists in many regions, including across states, tribes, and territories of the United States. We initiated a groundbreaking effort to understand challenges and to identify research opportunities related to the science and practice of decentralized wastewater. A horizon scanning exercise using a bottom up and transparent key questions approach was performed in which research needs were submitted by over 450 professionals working in academia, government, industry, and nonprofit organizations. We then further considered these research needs through facilitated focus group discussions and identified priority research questions through a consensus process during an in-person synthesis workshop. These key questions included technical and management topics, which were partitioned among six research categories: treatment, performance, and resource recovery; resiliency, efficacy, and sustainability; environmental quality and public health; assessment, monitoring, and operation and maintenance; implementation; and regulations, enforcement, and environmental justice. We offer recommendations to answer the priority research questions presented here; doing so promises to advance the science and improve the practice across rural-periurban-urban gradients.

Environmental Science & TechnologyVol. 60(1)
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (US), National Park Service (US), Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (US), North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (US), Infineon Technologies (Germany) (DE), Baylor University (US), University of Alabama (US), University of Rhode Island (US), Baylor College of Medicine (US), Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (FR), Minnesota Medical Association (US), University of Minnesota System (US), Norco College (US), Water Research Foundation (US), Mitchell Institute (US), University of Florida (US), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (US), National Recreation and Park Association (US), National Environmental Health Association (US), Centro Nacional de Medicina Tropical (ES), Biomechanics Institute of Valencia (ES), Nisshinbo Holdings (Japan) (JP), Aquatic Systems (United States) (US), Division of Undergraduate Education (US), Public Health Foundation Enterprises (US), Swedish Water & Wastewater Association (SE), Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality (US), Georgia Department of Public Health (US), Wastewater Compliance Systems (United States) (US), Hospital for Tropical Diseases (VN), Belmont University (US), Gulf Coast State College (US), Auburn University (US), Texas A&M University (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 36%
Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.